Gauge Face and Tachometer Installation

1. Remove the four screws that hold the gauge assembly to the dashboard.
2. Remove the electrical plugs from the light switch, hazard switch, etc.
3. Remove the speedometer cable and the 14 pin connector from the bottom of the gauge assembly.
4. If the van has cruise control, remove the 2 pin cruise sender connector.
5. Place the gauge unit upside down on a flat surface and remove the four screws for the speedometer and the four for the tachometer.
6. Remove the five nuts that hold in the temperature and fuel gauges.
7. The connector for the tachometer is a three or four pin connector and as a plastic latch that must be pried back to remove the connector.
8. Often it is possible to turn over the tachometer and speedometer one at a time without removing the blue plastic circuit panel. If you wish to work this way, skip the next three steps.
9. Carefully pop the flexible blue circuit off the pins on the tachometer and speedometer.
10. Later Vanagons have a circuit board built into the speedometer housing that runs the oil pressure warning light. This multi-pin connector should be unplugged.
11. After the blue circuit board is removed, the tachometer and speedometer units can be removed.
12. Pull the end of the speedometer over it's stop and note the place where it rests. There should be a tick mark on the outer edge of the face.
13. Remove the speedometer needle using two spoons to pry evenly on the underside of the needle.
14. The tachometer needle can also be removed this way or it can be twisted counterclockwise and pulled off.
15. Remove the two small screws for the faces on both gauges.
16. For the white faces, now is a good time to paint the needles black. A model spray or brushed paint works fine as well as a good permanent marker. Don't forget to paint the temp and fuel gauge needles.
17. The screws for the faces can be painted to match the face color if desired.
18. The new face covers can now be applied over the metal faces. Be gentle with the temp and gas gauge needles when you position those two faces.
19. If you apply the tachometer face on the backside of the aluminum faceplate, you will avoid the slight embossing effect from the original screened printing on the front.
20. After the temp and gas gauges are removed, you can replace the tachometer unit itself by removing the two slotted screws on the rear of the assembly.
21. When reinstalling the tachometer unit, make sure the connector pins insert into the four holes in the back of the assembly.
22. When reinstalling the tachometer and speedometer needles, push them firmly and evenly onto the shafts.
23. The tachometer needle aligns with the bottom mark on the gauge face. It can be rotated into position counterclockwise to align it.
24. The speedometer needle needs to align with a tick mark noted on disassembly (step#12)
25. After the needle is aligned with this mark, lift it up over the stop.
26. Re-installation of the faces, gauges, and the unit into the Vanagon is simply the reverse of the above procedure.